Online Services Government Employment Education Business Tourism Need Help
Mayor's Office Heading City Letter Head
CITY OF LINCOLN   •   NEWS RELEASE   •   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:
November 26, 2001
For More Information Contact:
Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 441-7831
Scott Opfer, Engineering Services, 441-7851
Traffic Accident Statistics for 2000 Released

Last year, the City of Lincoln experienced 9,248 reported traffic accidents, according to the city Public Works and Utilities Department, which today released traffic accident statistics for the year 2000. Eleven of the traffic accidents resulted in a total of 13 deaths. The total monetary loss to the public as a result of all traffic accidents in Lincoln last year is estimated at $121 million.

"City officials receive many complaints about traffic safety every day," said Mayor Don Wesely. "Our Public Works and Utilities Department attempts to improve traffic safety by installing new signals and signs, but the best accident prevention is a responsible driver who obeys the traffic laws, drives defensively and considers other people traveling on the roadway."

Allan Abbott, Director of the Public Works and Utilities Department, said factors such as weather and traffic congestion often play a role in traffic accidents, but the major factor is driver error. That includes driver inattention, following too closely, traveling too fast for the road conditions and disregarding signals and signs.

The dollar loss was calculated using the 1999 edition of the National Safety Council’s accident facts booklet. It includes wage and productivity losses, medical and administrative expenses, vehicle and property damage and employer costs.

The following table shows the city accident statistics over the past five years:

  1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Fatal 4 8 16 6 11
Injury 2,268 2,221 2,163 2,152 2,148
Property damage 4,702 4,868 5,036 5,032 5,239
Non-reportable - (damage under $475) 2,294 2,075 1,968 1,917 1,850
TOTAL 9,268 9,172 9,183 9,107 9,248
In addition, the following are the numbers of accidents involving bikes and pedestrians:
  1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Car/bike 200 139 156 154 148
Car/pedestrian 112 115 111 90 95

The following is a listing (in order) of the signalized intersections which experienced the highest rate of accidents and the highest rate of severe accidents during the year 2000:

  1. 40th Street and Sheridan Boulevard
  2. 27th and Vine streets
  3. 56th and Vine streets
  4. 33rd Street and Sheridan Boulevard
  5. 9th and South streets
  6. 27th and Holdrege streets
  7. 27th Street and Nebraska Highway 2
  8. Cotner Boulevard and “O” Street
  9. 48th and “O” streets
  10. 70th and “O” streets
The listing of the top ten accident locations varies from year to year. A review of the top ten crash locations over the past ten years reveals the five locations which have been in the top ten at least eight of the 10 years:
  1. 48th and “O” streets
  2. 27th and “O” streets.
  3. Cotner Boulevard and “O” Street
  4. 27th Street and Nebraska Highway 2
  5. 27th and Vine streets

InterLinc Home Page

Media Release